Should Politicians Be Forced To Retire At Age 65?

[Ghost in the Machine]

Today, a high school student asked John McCain this question:

“If elected, you’d be older than Ronald Reagan, making you the oldest president,” another student observed. “Do you ever worry you might die in office or get Alzheimer’s or some other disease that might affect your judgment?"

This something I have wondered about too, for the past few weeks, and have been meaning to post about it. Does anyone else think they should have a mandatory retirement for government officials?

I mean look at it, we have 70 & 80 year old men on the supreme court. We have 70 & 80 year old men in government office setting policy. Isn't it time to make room for the younger, more progressive officials? How rational is it to keep having dinosaurs from the past setting precedent and laws for the future generation?

I know lots of companies have mandatory retirement ages, and I also know that a lot of people NEED to keep working after 65 just to survive, but these Representatives, Senators, Judges, etc. have ALL made good money in their lifetimes, and have a great retirement package to boot.

Shouldn't they just retire and go play golf, go fishing, or just spend time with their families?

[TheUniverse]

1. No that would be discrimination.

Not all seniors are idiots like Ted Stevens. Many seniors have have served our country greatly, and I wouldn't want society giving me the boot when I turn 65.

[Ghost in the Machine]

13. Welcome to DU...

I didn't look at it as a discrimination issue. I was looking more at the aspect of how some of these guys just seem entrenched in our government. I was just looking at it as a way to get rid of some of these guys, or knowing we only had to put up with them for so long. I guess mandatory term limits takes care of that in some states.

[Withywindle]

2. I think we disrespect the elderly enough in this society already!

I would hope that at least in government (where we need it most) that experience and a long historical view would still be appreciated.

[Booster]

3. Since we have an age limit at the front of the thing, we should

have one at the end too. I'm 64 and I don't think I should run for president either.

[aquart]

4. George is NOT 65.

The answer seems to be that the candidates need to take, say, the SAT on camera and publicly scored. You know, some kind of basic analytical and comprehension skills test.

THEY WANT THE JOB, DON'T THEY? Other civil servants have to pass skills tests.

[Ghost in the Machine]

14. That sounds like a good beginning...

But we still need more control over our elected officials. The whole political system needs to be flushed out and repaired.

We've let this rampant corruption go on for way too long now. It's time to clean house!

[Hardrada]

5. Hindenburg and Churchill and Konrad Adenauer

and De Gaulle were all well up in years when serving as prime ministers or presidents of their countries.

[DianaForRussFeingold]

6. How old are Cheney and Bush?

:hi: Old enough to retire and still young enough to hold a rifle?

[hlthe2b]

7. Yeah, yeah... now we can start the ageism wars!

No. There should be a provision for removal if someone is not physically or mentally up to the job (or very unlikely to become so within a reasonable amount of time). Otherwise we rob ourselves of the tremendous experience and maturity of men like Ted Kennedy and many others.

GWBush* is one of our youngest pResidents, yet he came into office with the mental faculties that Reagan surely possessed when he left with advanced Alzheimers.

The issue is not age alone.

[DianaForRussFeingold]

10. K&R Bingo! We have a winner!

I love your answer!

[divineorder]

16. Not to mention the effect on Women Legislators

Many women don't get the freedom to run for public office until they are at least past 50. It often takes that long to raise kids or advance enough in a career to get the free time to run. Women in their 60's, 70's, or later often are pretty sharp and can participate well in politics and organizational work.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. Absolutely not!

Neither competence nor progressiveness are a function of a particular age. Robert Byrd is one of the great liberal orators of the Senate, and he's older than God. Ted Kennedy is 75. Thurgood Marshall remained on the Supreme Court until his death at 84. Ruth Bader Ginsburg is 74. Lots of good, old, BRILLIANT liberals are still working effectively into their 70s and 80s. It's absurdly ageist and plain stupid to put people out to pasture just because they've reached some arbitrary age.

[TahitiNut]

9. I oppose mandatory age-based retirement in anything.

As long as a person can perform the duties of a position, they should be protected from age discrimination. Given some reasonable cause, employees (INCLUDING all elected officials) should be subject to a requirement that they meet minimum mental and physical health standards, by examination of a qualified physician of their choice and subject to privacy considerations.

[DemBones DemBones]

12. I agree. Public office holders should have to

undergo medical exams if there is any question about their judgement being affected by health problems.

As long as they are doing their job competently, though, why should they be forced into retirement?

But Strom Thurmond probably should not have served that last term, being 100 and all. His mind may have been OK but I seem to recall that he missed a lot of votes because it was too hard for him to get to the Senate floor. (Probably didn't want to be seen in a wheelchair but couldn't walk that far.) If his mind was OK, he should have taken the wheelchair. There is no shame in being old and not able to walk very far.

Max Cleland used a wheelchair when he was in the Senate so it's got to be accessible to people in wheelchairs.

[smalll]

11. Sure, why not - and then let's FORCE them to go to the doctor!

What's with all this force-love around here right now? :eyes:

[Vidar]

15. No to mandatory retirement. Yes to madatory physical & mental

testing for office holders. And no such mandatory testing for we mere peasants.

[Beerboy]

17. I heard a sound-bite of that tonight,

McCain said to the kid's face he was a smartass or something. Then again, McCain might've just been trying to come onto him, with today's GOP you never know!:rofl:

[Thothmes]

18. Mandatory Retirement

I think 65 is to young for a politician. I do believe that 75 years old should be the cut off for any government offical.

[porphyrian]

19. Send them to Carousel! Renew! Renew! - n/t

[Reader Rabbit]

20. They should be allowed to serve *until* they retire.

I think elected officials who have a lifetime's experience like the rest of us stiffs would be the best representative body. Plus, the idea pretty much has term limits built into it, what with life expectancy and all. Then cut the pay, because with retirement benefits, they would only need to supplement whatever current income they have. Might attract more people who were truly interested in service, rather than self-interest and power.